1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed relates generally to electric power distribution centers, and in particular to meter centers or meter packs for tapping-off power from a feeder busway and distributing metered power to multiple branches.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Power distribution systems for high rise residential and commercial buildings frequently employ vertical feeder busways to deliver power from a utility entrance in the basement of the building, to a meter center or meter pack in a service room on each floor, where power to individual customers or tenants is separately metered. The meter center or meter pack is a modular, multiple metering unit that taps-off power from the feeder busway and provides it through a master switch, circuit breaker, or direct connection, to metering stacks of multiple watt/hour meters that measure the power being delivered to the individual customers or tenants on that floor.
The space requirements for service rooms and spaces in tall buildings are significant. These rooms will house equipment for many different systems, including the power distribution meter center or meter pack, feeder and plug-in busways, riser busways to the next floor, lighting controls, emergency lighting equipment, fire alarm equipment and associated battery cabinets, and security system equipment. Accordingly, it is important to minimize the space occupied by the meter center or meter pack, while maximizing the input current-handling capacity of the unit.
An example meter center or meter pack is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,367,830, which depicts a busway fitting to tap-off power from a vertical feeder bus, wherein the switch connected to the feeder bus is disposed in a horizontal orientation and the buses coupled to the switch assembly also extend horizontally, thereby occupying a reduced amount of space. A problem with this design is that it is a complex structure that occupies significant space and does not accept more than one feeder bus.
Accordingly, there is a need for a meter center or meter pack that has a simplified structure, occupies minimal space, and can accept more than one feeder bus.